The Age of Isms Europe in the Industrial Age

Industrialism

Mechanization of Manufacturing – Importance of textiles machines, steam engine Mineral Sources of Energy – Coal powers new technology Development of Factories – Workers concentrated around machines or in workshops instead of raw materials distributed to homes New Methods of Transportation – Roads and canals improve movement of raw materials and finished goods, but railroad is key

Industrialism: Effects Population Growth – Income from wages leads to earlier marriages, more children, better nutrition Standard of Living – Industrial manufacturing makes more goods more affordable to a larger swath of the the population – “Working class slums”: difficult living conditions and unsanitary environment for working class

Industrialism: Effects Changing Family Relationships – Initially, women and children are eagerly hired by factory owners – Over time, women are seen as belonging in the home and children are seen emotional rather than economic commodities New Social Class Structure – Old Regime: Nobles vs. Peasants – Industrial Order Upper Class: Wealthy Capitalists (business owners) Middle Class: “White collar” workers (managers, etc.) Lower Class: “Blue collar” workers (laborers)

Nationalism

Political boundaries should be redrawn in order to reflect shared culture, language and history – Reject dynastic monarchs as legitimate basis for determining national status

Nationalism: Impact Unification – Uniting divided groups into single nations Examples: Germany; Italy Division – Groups rebelling from imperial powers Examples: Greeks from Ottoman Empire, Poles from Russia, Czechs from the Hapsburg Empire (AKA Austria-Hungary)

Map of Europe: 1914

Conservatism

Maintain the existing social and political order – Hereditary monarchies, established churches, and landed nobility Support gradual reform rather than revolution – Only way to protect against anarchy of the French Revolution

Conservatism: Impact Dominant political ideology of Industrial Europe and Russia – Example: Holy Alliance of Russia, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary Conservative Nationalism – Examples: Bismarck (Germany); Cavour (Italy); Third Republic (France)

Liberalism

Government should protect basic rights – Liberals fought for reforms in the name of freedom Establish and protect individuals rights – Freedom press, religion, equality in law Expand the right to vote – Propertied middle class should have greater control of government Promote free trade – Remove tariffs and other restrictions to commerce

Liberalism: Impact Revolution and Reform – Source of major revolutions (such as 1848) and major reforms (such as British Reform Bill)

Socialism

Reject free market capitalism in favor of institutions that protect workers – Society should be organized into communities rather than forcing individuals to fend for themselves (unions, communal workshops, etc.) – Strong government regulation and redistribution of income are needed to ensure people are treated fairly within the industrial economy

Socialism: Impact Spread of Marxist thought (Next Unit!) – Marx’s ideas spread not only through Europe, but to other regions as well Russian socialism (Lenin) Chinese socialism (Mao) Vietnamese socialism (Ho Chi Minh) African socialism, etc.

Humanitarianism

People have a ethical and religious duty to look after their fellow human beings – COT: Medieval monasteries and their decline in the Early Modern Era

Humanitarianism: Impact Political and social movements to improve the lives of the lower classes and others – Examples: Abolition of slavery in the British Empire; “Settlement House” movement

Feminism

Women have the right to the same political, economic, and social opportunities as men – No difference between men and women in the eyes of the law – Complete rejection of patriarchy

Feminism: Impact Political Feminism – Equality under the law; Suffrage (voting rights) – Example: Emmeline Pankhurst Economic Feminism – Opening of jobs closed to women (doctors, lawyers, etc.)

Romanticism

Focus on passion above intellect – Recognize limits of human reason and focus on intuition and imagination – Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason” Human’s share an innate sense of moral duty, the “categorical imperative” Challenges the Enlightenment Appreciation of Nature – Emphasizes beauty of the natural world free from human influence

Romanticism: Impact Arts and Literature – Major artistic and literary movement of the 19th century Romantic Nationalism – Idealizing the distant past as justification for political movements Example: Greek Revolution, Italian Nationalism

Coach Lerch’s Final Thoughts Although these “isms” dominate Industrial Europe, they will also go out into the world in the 19th and 20th centuries due to the rise of another European ism: imperialism As a result, forces like nationalism and socialism are adopted by diverse groups around the world and given their own unique twist (cultural blending!!!)